Background report for the Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan

20 Pages·2011·0.14 MB·English

Background report for the Adelaide
Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan

Report 1 Community consultation executive summaries
Information in the following three executive summaries of community consultation reports was provided through Arup Pty
Ltd by Strategic Matters with some input from Eco Management Services Pty Ltd.
Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
Executive summary 1
Summary of findings from six meetings held with community, industry and government
personnel in August and September 2007
Context
During late August and early September 2007 the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) commissioned Stage 1 of the
Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan (ACWQIP) to determine draft environmental values (EVs) and water
quality objectives (WQOs) for Adelaide’s coastal waters.
As part of the project a consortium comprising ARUP, Eco Management Services and Strategic Matters organised and
conducted six meetings along the Adelaide metropolitan coastline—three meetings with community members and three
with representatives from government, business and industry. A program of the meetings is provided at the end of this
executive summary.
The meetings focused heavily on the development of EVs—those qualities of the waterways valued by the community. In
addition to identifying the community’s EVs, participants’ comments and ideas on the desired state of the coastal waters
20 years into the future were also recorded.
This document highlights the key findings of the meetings.
Process
All meetings followed a similar process that involved:
 a welcome and overview on the purpose of the meeting from the project consortium
 a presentation from the EPA
 a short explanation on EVs from the project consortium
 a whole-of-group brainstorm about what people want the coastline and marine environment to look like in 20 years
 groupwork involving the use of an A0 sized map to identify the EVs important to participants. The notes of the
different workshops and the EVs were then collated using six (6) predetermined coastal zones
 a second group exercise that used a ‘program logic’ framework asking participants to identify: the things (ie practices
and attitudes) that need to change to achieve our desired EVs; those programs, processes and projects that we need
to achieve our EVs; and those things we need to do to engage the community more effectively.
Meetings concluded with a quick feedback from participants and/or a wrap up by a consortium member and formal thanks
from EPA personnel.
An example agenda is provided at the end of this executive summary.
Findings
1 What people want the coastline to look like in the future (20 years)
People are passionate about the Adelaide metropolitan coastline and feel a strong sense of connection with it. For many
participants the coastline represents opportunities for activities and recreational pursuits that underpin the lifestyle in
Adelaide.
In all meetings there was a vision of the coastal waters being free of stormwater discharge and nutrient-rich outflows in
the future. Many advocated for 100% reuse of wastewater to prevent any discharge to the marine environment and
espoused ‘creative solutions to capture, clean and reuse stormwater’.
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People envisioned a future where the coastal water quality and ecology were improved to the point where recreational
activities including swimming, boating, walking and fishing were fruitful and could be enjoyed anywhere along the
coastline—and at any time of day and year. Direct quotes include:
 ‘Kids catch fish off the jetties!’
 ‘Sandy beaches where people can play and enjoy what’s an important part of our lifestyle.’
 ‘Clean waters that enable me to go swimming and see my feet in afternoon sea waters and observe the sea floor
3–4 metres in depth.’
Importantly, participants noted that an informed and educated community who understood the impacts of their upstream
behaviours on the downstream marine environment, was fundamental to achieving a healthy marine environment.
The ability to see the ‘blue line’ was cited by a number of participants as their future for the Adelaide metropolitan coastal
waters. This was underpinned by a vision of healthy reefs along the coastline, no species loss due to water quality
reduction or habitat loss, and no fisheries closures due to water quality issues.
The ‘health’ of the coastline was seen as very important to all participants who cited a future of healthy mangroves as
breeding grounds for fish. The desire was for plenty of fish for recreational and food supply, and no coastal erosion!
Other comments included that the ‘coliform levels be consistent with natural levels and cycles’, that ‘there will be
unfettered access to ports (for trading and commercial purposes)’, an ongoing ‘Open Coast with equitable access for all
to all beaches’ and ‘car-free beaches’.
In a number of meetings participants cited a future where governments adopt a longer-term outlook and commitment to
policies, programs and legislation relating to the coastal marine environment. This extended to an increase in government
funds and resources directed to Coastal Care programs.
For participants of two meetings, the need for increased transparency around government programs and timeframes was
an important part of the vision for a healthy marine environment into the future.
Finally for many, because the impacts on the marine environment are affected in part by the built form and development
decisions that are made, the vision for the Adelaide metropolitan coastline is one of ‘healthy ecosystems and sustainable
ESD principles applied to all built form’. This encapsulated the adoption of innovations in urban planning, particularly in
relation to projected rising sea levels.
2 Environmental values
EVs were clustered along themes and are largely described moving north to south along the coastline:
Aesthetics
Views of the mangroves and Bird Park are recognised as important values of the Port Gawler and Port Adelaide
environments. The open spaces for fishing and boating are also perceived as important for the community.
The dune systems from Semaphore to West Beach are valued for their recreational function and high-quality aesthetics:
 Semaphore Park—Best place for walking and fish and chips…
 West Beach—Not overly developed or very busy—can enjoy the beauty.
The River Torrens which is highly valued for its aesthetics and recreation values including—walking, cycling, linear park,
and aesthetics. Glenelg is valued for its commercial activities, cafes, gathering hub, jetties, and high energy social
environment.
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
Further south, the cliffs and geography at Hallett Cove are highly valued aesthetically as are the cliffs and views at
Seacliff. The Onkaparinga Park and estuary reserve is recognised as having high aesthetic value—including its samphire
flats and sand dunes. The cliffs and beach at Port Willunga are valued as being ‘special’ to people.
Other areas of high aesthetic vale include the Ochre Point Cliffs, Aldinga Reef and Sellicks Beach where the quality of
the visual environment is highly valued by the community.
Commercial
The Adelaide metropolitan coastline is highly valued for its commercial outputs. Examples from the Port Gawler–Port
Adelaide area include the cockle, blue crab and prawn industries, the port and container wharf, the commercial shipping
hub of Port Adelaide, Cheetham Saltfields and the Torrens Island Power Station.
The relationship between the environment and commercial marine activities is recognised and also highly valued by the
community with the following issues cited as being important—St Kilda Mangroves (a breeding ground for fish), Barker
and Angus Inlets, and the dolphin sanctuary at Port Adelaide. Fishing, both recreational and commercial, is recognised
as important along the southern metropolitan Adelaide coastline.
Accessible boating activities, such as the North Haven Marina, Port Quays and the North Haven and Outer Harbor
developments, are highly valued by the community. These were identified as having a high commercial value.
The commercial benefits of coastal tourism are recognised and highly valued by the community. Sites that were
particularly noted include the Semaphore–West Beach hub, West Beach Caravan Park, Glenelg precinct and marina,
Henley Square and beach, Marine Discovery Centre, all marinas and jetties, the Kingston Park boat ramp and the
Patawalonga boat harbour.
Further south, Hallett Cove is valued for its tourism and/or commercial value, as are the Port Noarlunga and Aldinga
reefs, Port Noarlunga town centre, Maslin’s Beach, Port Willunga and Sellicks Beach. These locations were identified as
having important maritime history and associated commercial value.
Cultural
The cultural value of the coastline along metropolitan Adelaide is significant. Access to the coast is perceived to be
fundamental to how Adelaidians live their lives.
A range of Tjilbruke sites run along the entire length of the Adelaide metropolitan coastline. These are also highly valued,
although less well understood.
The northern end of the coastline displays a range of cultural values that relate to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous
activities. These include a ships’ graveyard, the Bird Park, jetties, European history relating to immigration, and Barker
Inlet and Le Fevre Peninsula cultural sites (including former mangroves at Port Adelaide) that link with the Tjilbruke track.
The coastal pathway from Aldinga to North Haven is highly valued by the community as it provides unfettered access to
the coast. The Semaphore to West Beach dune systems are recognised as a site of high cultural value.
Jetties are perceived as important gathering places that create ‘place making’ in the landscape and support the ‘Adelaide’
way of life.
The [Indigenous] Kaurna site at Marino Rocks and the Tjilbruke Springs and trail that run from Kingston Park to Sellicks
(and beyond) are highly valued by the community.
Hallett Cove reef and Conservation Park are locations of cultural significance and high value. The Onkaparinga Park with
its samphire flats and sand dunes is recognised as having high cultural value and is part of the Kaurna Dreamtime areas.
The ‘Washpool’ is also an important Kaurna Dreamtime site.
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
The Port Willunga ‘Star of Greece’ shipwreck, Aldinga Scrub, Port Noarlunga, and Aldinga and the southern beaches are
perceived as particularly important to the lifestyle of the local community. The McLaren Vale wine-growing district that
links with the southern beaches is recognised as having high cultural, tourism and lifestyle values that creates ‘another
dimension of vibrancy’ along the coast.
Ecological
 The relationship between the health of the coastal environment and ongoing access to the coast is well recognised
and valued. Participants recognise that the ocean is often regarded as a dumping ground and are keen to challenge
the perception that this is acceptable. Environmental issues that are highly valued by the community include:
 Port Gawler and Barker Inlet–samphire, mangroves–tidal flats: shorebirds (sandpiper), international bird migration
site(s), the Port Adelaide dolphins, mangroves as important breeding ground– fish nursery, Mutton Cove and marine
reserves.
 The Gillman wetlands are perceived as an important feature designed and constructed to treat stormwater prior to it
entering coastal waters.
 The Tyre Reef at Semaphore is seen as important by the community for ecological reasons.
 Remnant dunes from Semaphore to West Beach are highly valued with some suggesting that all built form should be
removed from the dune system over time.
 The Patawalonga Lakes are recognised as having high ecological value.
 Further south, the reef off Seacliff, Hallett Cove Conservation Park and Marino Conservation Park are all valued by
the community as places of ecological importance.
 The remnant dunes and cliffs and seagrass beds and marine reserve provide an important haven for aquatic life
including breeding areas and protection for species.
 Horseshoe Reef at Christies Beach, Noarlunga Aquatic Reserve, Field River, and Onkaparinga River and estuary are
valued by the community as having high ecological and geological value.
 The remnant vegetation at Port Stanvac was earmarked as needing protection. Aldinga scrub and the estuarine
environment are highly valued as are the Aldinga reef, Sellicks Beach and the Washpool.
Recreational
There are a large range of recreational activities that people engage in along the coastline of metropolitan Adelaide. The
longevity of access to the sea and a clean coastal environment are considered as paramount by the community to enable
ongoing recreational enjoyment. Activities and sites that are particularly valued include:
 Water based: surf lifesaving, surfing, boating, yachting, diving, fishing, swimming and snorkelling at the reefs in
Semaphore, Glenelg, Seacliff, Christies, Noarlunga and Aldinga.
 Land based: jetties, driving, fishing, walking and cycling.
 Port Gawler mangroves: tidal flats and crabbing, fishing and boating, Outer Harbour and North Haven marinas,
fishing and swimming near/on jetties, coastal beach swimming and walking, fishing and boating.
 Hubs and beaches: Henley Beach, West Beach, Glenelg and Brighton.
 West Beach: recreation zone/hub—swimming and cycling.
 River Torrens: highly valued for recreation, walking, cycling, Linear Park and aesthetics.
 Marino Rocks: aquatic recreational activities.
 Port Stanvac: snapper fishing at the Barges Ground.
 Hallett Cove reef and Conservation Park: walking, education, Noarlunga–recreation hub, Port Willunga cliffs and
beach–families, swimming, fishing.
 Maslin’s Beach: swimming and walking, nudist culture.
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
 Aldinga: driving on the beach.
 Southern beaches: clean seas, clean accessible beaches.
 Moana: high recreational value–swimming, walking and Sellicks Beach–cliff swimming, walking.
Issues of concern
There were opportunities for attendees to cite any issues of concern about the metropolitan coastline of Adelaide. Key
issues of concern as highlighted by participants are noted below. For a more comprehensive list please refer to individual
meeting notes.
Whole of coastline
 stormwater discharge and proper management of stormwater discharge
 all coastal dredging
 extra population growth–additional one million people will place pressures on the coastline
 desalination plant discharge highly saline water: Desalination by-product will create salinity issue
 sand dredging and carting
 impact of climate change: sea surges, rising sea levels, increasing water temperatures, and habitat degradation and
loss
 blackwater pumping stations for boats at marinas–ballast water
 impacts from recreational fishing: overfishing and fishing debris
 coastal erosion
 seagrass beds dying along the whole coast
 industry: pollution and discharge into the marine environment
 introduced pests especially at marinas
 beach and marine litter (out of sight, out of mind)
 urban development has land and marine ecosystem impacts
 cars on beach: get them off!!!
Specific sites include:
 Christie Creek outflows: sediment and turbidity, effluent impacts
 Maslin’s Beach: sediments and collapse and outflows
 Port Stanvac: needs cleaning up
 Bolivar treatment works
 Torrens River outlet: algal blooms, rubbish, flush out
 Patawalonga: wastewater treatment plant and dredging
 Onkaparinga River discharge
 Christies Beach: wastewater treatment plant, sewage spills
 Port Stanvac: refinery, ecological consequences
 Sellicks Beach: septic tank effluent disposal system (STEDS) discharge.
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
Questions
1 What are the practices and attitudes that need to change to achieve our environmental values?
When considering those practices and attitudes that need to change to achieve environmental values, participants
focused on water management and reuse, and an enhanced attitude towards resource use generally. It was identified
that this attitudinal shift needs to occur both at industry/business and broader community level.
[We need to] create an enthused and informed community who are prepared to take responsibility….
It was perceived that in order for business attitudes towards water quality to change, a range of economic incentives
and/or disincentives will need to be created. Enforcement and exemptions were also highlighted as techniques that may
be used to assist businesses in the more sensitive and sustainable use of water.
It was noted that best practice in coastal management will be most effectively achieved through enhanced coordination
and partnerships across governments. Examples that were cited included updating the State Planning Strategy and
aligning it with the AWQIP, eg stormwater harvesting and devising a management strategy and planning for zero
stormwater discharge from local councils:
Enhance the ability for [local] councils to work more closely with each other on planning and environment
management (eg combined councils get together to manage surface and sub-surface contaminants in
drainage systems).
Participants noted the need to challenge the perception that being ‘water wise’ is difficult. This was underpinned by a
range of possible education programs/practices including the need to change attitudes about:
 the impact of activities upstream to downstream environment
 the impacts of marine litter
 the benefits of reusing water
 how sewage can be cleaned/refined and used for other purposes.
A number of participants cited a desire to promote the ecosystems services provided by the marine environment. This
would involve emphasising the actual dollar value of ecosystems, eg value carbon sequestration–seagrass loss–as
leverage for climate change impacts.
Other changes that were noted include the need to focus on big things rather than little things. Examples included:
 increasing the understanding of the coastal and catchment systems as an integrated system
 honouring the urban boundary
 avoiding ‘death by a thousand cuts’
 higher and sustained level of funding for the environment.
In addition, participants noted the desire for regulatory consequences to be more relevant and meaningful, and
suggested an overhaul of legal practices that are currently perceived to be too lenient.
Finally, long-term monitoring and evaluation (of water quality) was identified as a desired practice that should be
underpinned by a solid database and scientific knowledge.
For a more comprehensive list of practices and attitudes, please refer to notes from each meeting.
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
2 What projects and programs do we need in place to achieve our environmental values?
When asked to highlight those projects and programs that we need in place to achieve our desired EVs, a range of
suggestions were put forth:
Possible programs:
 introduce ballast waters management practices
 increase community education, eg KESAB programs that are ‘end-user’ focused
 adopt a proactive ‘Rewards and Recognition’ scheme(s) for those doing the ‘right thing’
 develop an ‘Adopt-a-coast’ school program, especially for inland/regional schools
 more (and consistent) research and monitoring, eg impacts of prawn trawling in the Gulf of St Vincent
 expand the current Coastcare program with centralised coordination and resourcing
 more rehabilitation programs, especially for sand dunes.
Possible projects:
 emergency planning:
 investigate more fully the likely impact of sea level rise, eg the possible effect of very high tides on the Port
Adelaide area
 develop a ‘disaster plan’ for emergency spills, eg enhance wetlands at Port Adelaide and on main arterial roads.
 innovative planning
 develop greater incentives for ecologically sustainable development (ESD) to underpin planning and urban
design eg wastewater reuse uptake/purple pipes
 amend development plans so that the Port River and estuary are included in coastal zone strategy/development
planning.
Resources for effective projects:
 follow-up research into revegetation along the coast, especially the sand dunes
 enhance resourcing for current ‘X Watch’ (eg ReefWatch, WaterWatch, Weed Warriors, etc) education programs via
NRM Boards.
Education and compliance:
 introduce signs at marinas for rubbish bins and rubbish collection
 increase the compliance of industry and residential actions at a local government level (enforcement as a final
‘solution’).
Turbidity/runoff/discharge:
 address the sediment/turbidity of Angus Inlet
 reduce runoff through the expansion of wetlands, eg along the Torrens River
 address the discharge from Torrens/Glenelg, eg perception of persistent silt after high flows
 increase the capacity of trash racks to capture rubbish and filter water prior to it expelling into the sea.
A more comprehensive list of the programs and projects suggested at the workshops was included in the notes from
each meeting.
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan – Reports
3 How can we enhance community buy in?
This question was only asked at the final meeting, due to the mix of participants who attended. The suggestions included:
 linking resources to consistent support and administration of projects for community
 making NRM exciting [and dynamic] eg Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth
 ensuring all programs and projects are outcome based
 providing more education and information, eg working within the school system
 raising the profile of environmental values
 ensuring easy access to and digestible information from government
 improving signage of positive coastal activities
 running more information/awareness sessions
 providing regular information from a central location—avoiding stops and starts
 actively linking with locations/businesses such as the Marine Discovery Centre for all ages/community groups, eg
aquariums.
2007 workshop times, locations and attendance figures
Date Time Location Key Target
Thursday 6.00–8.30 pm Lefevre Community Centre, Osborne Community
30 August
Friday 9.30 am–12 noon Seaford Ecumenical Centre, Seaford Industry and government
31 August
Monday 9.30 am–12 noon Port Adelaide Town Hall, Port Adelaide Industry and government
3 September
Tuesday 6.00–8.30 pm Adelaide Sailing Club, West Beach Community
4 September
Wednesday 6.00–8.30 pm Maslin’s Community Centre, Maslin’s Beach Community
5 September
Thursday 2.00–4.30 pm SARDI, West Beach Industry and government
6 September
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Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan Part B
Executive summary 2
Summary of findings from focus groups held with community, industry and government
personnel in May 2008
Context
In July 2007 the Water Quality Branch of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) engaged a consortium (Arup, Eco
Management Services Pty Ltd and Strategic Matters) to develop an Adelaide Coastal Water Quality Improvement Plan
(ACWQIP). The geographical area of the project covers the Adelaide coastal waters from Port Gawler in the north to
Sellicks Beach in the south.
The ACWQIP examines discharges and the way that they interact with the coastal marine environment. Importantly it
provides appropriate responses aimed at arresting the decline and/or allowing recovery of the coastal marine
environment.
The EPA is committed to the consultation of stakeholders on this important project. To this end, the EPA supported an
inclusive consultation process that was divided into two stages:
 Stage 1 involved six independently run meetings held along the Adelaide metropolitan coastline in August and
September 2007. These sessions resulted in the development of draft environmental values, water quality objectives,
river flow objectives, and associated river flow regimes forming the foundation of the plan
 Stage 2 of the project is focused on testing and applying the draft EVs that have been developed and will initially
involved four targeted focus groups. These four sessions were held in mid-May to late June 2008.
The notes contained within this document are from focus groups with representatives from state government, industry
and NRM, local government and community associations. Three focus groups were held from 16–20 May 2008 at the
South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), and the Adelaide Sailing Club at West Beach.
The focus groups acknowledged the considerable amount of work already undertaken by the Adelaide Mount Lofty
Ranges Natural Resources Management (AMLR NRM) Board, local government and key state government departments.
Many of these organisations have developed plans with multiple outcomes for NRM, water resource management and
water quality.
The focus groups actively concentrated on two core themes:
 the consolidation of the material from a range of documents (mentioned above) and an analysis of this material
including comments on proposed environmental improvement targets
 how to collectively develop and implement actions that will improve the overall quality of the coastal waters of
Adelaide.
A list of participants and a copy of the agendas are located at the end of this executive summary.
Advancing the environmental values, targets and actions
To assist with advancing the development of environmental values, targets and relevant actions, the study team in
discussion with the EPA, selected five ‘stressors’ that could have an adverse impact on the coastal waters:
 suspended solids1
 nitrogen and nutrients

1 Suspended solids is a measure of the mass of fine inorganic particles suspended in the water.
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